Q: The potassium level is more reliable via? (select one)
A) arterial line
B) venous puncture
Answer: B
Potassium levels via arterial line may not be as reliable as through peripheral venous puncture. It is postulated that the tip of the cannula could get impinged against the vessel wall so that during withdrawal of the sample, a high shear rate may cause hemolysis of red blood cells leading to an increased potassium concentration in drawn blood samples.
#electrolytes
#lab-medicine
References:
1. Mehta V, Ahmed Z. Apparent hyperkalaemia from blood sampled from an arterial cannula. Br J Anaesth. 2004 Sep;93(3):456-8. doi: 10.1093/bja/aeh199. Epub 2004 Jun 11. PMID: 15194630.
2. Asirvatham JR, Moses V, Bjornson L. Errors in potassium measurement: a laboratory perspective for the clinician. N Am J Med Sci. 2013 Apr;5(4):255-9. doi: 10.4103/1947-2714.110426. PMID: 23724399; PMCID: PMC3662091.
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